Vietnam wants to cooperate with Singapore in innovation: PM

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (right) and President of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation  Douglas Foo (Photo: VNA)

At a meeting with President of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) Douglas Foo in Hanoi on January 18, the PM highlighted the guest’s talks on important issues regarding innovation and creation in which Singapore has experience. 

He also welcomed the SMF President’s initiatives for cooperation in this sphere between Vietnam and Singapore. 

Singapore is Vietnam’s important partners in economy, trade and investment, the leader said, adding that the two countries have nine industrial parks (VSIP) across Vietnam. 

Therefore, Singapore’s innovative and creative models are significant to Vietnam, he stressed. 

Phuc told his guest that innovation, creativity and technological incubators are new to Vietnam and can help spur the country’s development.
 
In reply, Douglas Foo said many Singaporean groups and businesses want to operate in Vietnam, noting that the successful VSIPs have been seen as a symbol of the bilateral relationship. 

He suggested the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training to encourage Vietnamese students to participate in innovation and creativity, and expressed his hope that the two countries would closely cooperate in order to make Vietnam-Singapore innovation and creativity centres successful in the time ahead. 

Pointing out limited production capacity of Singapore due to the shortage of human resources, he said the joint centres can ease the problem. 

The guest also expressed his hope that Singapore will send scholars to Vietnam to help the country in this regard. 

PM Phuc stressed that the initiative to build a large-scale innovation and creativity centre in cooperation between the two countries are necessary./.

VNA